tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post1057172637262498720..comments2024-03-18T04:47:16.199-07:00Comments on The Gray Report: English translations favor the wrong sakes: Genshu and nigori, over honjozoW. Blake Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-85725634329569811372013-03-03T13:38:37.488-08:002013-03-03T13:38:37.488-08:00A few remarks on the post and comments:
Joseph: ...A few remarks on the post and comments:<br /><br />Joseph: The majority of sake brewers use brewers alcohol that is distilled from sugar cane. While there is a shred of truth to what you are saying with respect to the undisclosed brewers alcohol, I don't think it is a big enough deal to fully discount Honjozo, Ginjo-shu, etc, in favor of Junmai only sakes.<br /><br />Mr. Gray: I am glad to Jessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02393945668671202431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-77846507866307541732013-02-21T17:59:19.476-08:002013-02-21T17:59:19.476-08:00Joseph: For a long time I drank only junmai myself...Joseph: For a long time I drank only junmai myself. I even wrote that a few times in the early days. Now I know better. The more someone knows about sake, the more open they are to honjozos.<br /><br />There's a big gap between futshushu, ordinary sake with alcohol added, and honjozo. Honjozo is a premium product. <br /><br />You know what they say about a little knowledge.W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-17281891664685077282013-02-21T17:55:15.710-08:002013-02-21T17:55:15.710-08:00A friend, and former Japanese teacher, is of the o...A friend, and former Japanese teacher, is of the opinion that because sake brewers aren't required to disclose fortifying alcohol, or limited to what it can be made from, that junmai should take priority over other styles. I don't want to misconstrue her original intent and say it is superior, but I think that sentiment was underlying. I haven't formed any hard opinions yet, and this Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16329479737944335536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-67766816859694233612013-02-19T18:41:53.303-08:002013-02-19T18:41:53.303-08:00I didn't ask enough brewers about the source o...I didn't ask enough brewers about the source of the alcohol to be able to definitively answer. The idea is for it to be neutral, so I'm not sure it matters. I know some large brewers distill their own but I think that's unusual; small brewers buy it. W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-53723607947873975802013-02-19T08:18:30.057-08:002013-02-19T08:18:30.057-08:00As far as the alcohol they are adding to the sake,...As far as the alcohol they are adding to the sake, is there a common base ingredient that the distillers use or the sake brewers prefer? Say grape, sugar, potato, rice, or grain based spirit? And are there kura that distill their own alcohol or is it more common to buy from big distillers? Loving these sake posts by the way, I'm always trying to sell a little more sake where I work.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16329479737944335536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-72764729764771241402013-02-15T14:47:34.210-08:002013-02-15T14:47:34.210-08:00Sake is not distilled. Of course the added alcohol...Sake is not distilled. Of course the added alcohol is distilled.<br /><br />W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-62197228728949955042013-02-15T13:35:06.927-08:002013-02-15T13:35:06.927-08:00So the added alc is not distilled? How is that don...So the added alc is not distilled? How is that done??<br />That is, how do they isolate the ETOH from all else that is left after a ferment to get at the alc?rapopodahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00413215670441671568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-26151108038923368752013-02-15T12:16:32.799-08:002013-02-15T12:16:32.799-08:00Rapo: Sake is not distilled. The best I can tell a...Rapo: Sake is not distilled. The best I can tell about honjozo, one of the reasons for the added alcohol is that it is more neutral than the sake to which it's added. Again, doesn't sound sexy, but the end result is a cleaner taste. And given how popular vodka is in the States, it's not exactly anti-market. I can't answer the question about fusel alcohols, sorry: I know it's aW. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-62408283196046669582013-02-14T16:44:01.428-08:002013-02-14T16:44:01.428-08:00OK. So to dig in a bit, how does that process make...OK. So to dig in a bit, how does that process make it cleaner? Is it distilled? Is the added alcohol void of higher (fusels) alcohols?<br />Does the de-acling bit have a deleterious effect?<br />tnks<br />-drapopodahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00413215670441671568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-45347481546292466442013-02-14T13:13:33.473-08:002013-02-14T13:13:33.473-08:00The intent is to make it crisper and cleaner-tasti...The intent is to make it crisper and cleaner-tasting. With Port, alcohol is added to stop fermentation with sugar still in the wine, so that it's sweet. Honjozos are not sweet and are in fact some of the driest sakes of all.<br /><br />Thanks for pointing out that I didn't point this out: will add to post.W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-30958754284483116402013-02-14T10:32:18.858-08:002013-02-14T10:32:18.858-08:00"You can't compare honjozo to Port: sure,..."You can't compare honjozo to Port: sure, alcohol is added, but the intent is entirely different."<br /><br />So what is the intent? What is the function/result of the process?rapopodahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00413215670441671568noreply@blogger.com